Anti-clogging razor

ABSTRACT

Anti-clogging manual razor cartridge equipped with an arrangement of rollers and cutting blades arranged in an alternating manner with each other, namely, a leading roller, a leading cutting blade, a trailing roller, a trailing cutting blade and a final cutting blade. Each of the cutting blades are bent to obliquely angle two portions thereof with one of the two portions terminating into a sharpened edge. The arrangement is such that the sharpened edge of the leading cutting blade is over the leading roller, the sharpened edge of the trailing cutting blade is over the trailing roller, the sharpened edge of the final cutting blade is over the trailing cutting blade.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 17/185,951filed Feb. 25, 2021.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAMLISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC AND ANINCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a handheld razor equipped with razor cartridgethat provides features that help prevent clogging of space between thecutting blades.

2. Description of Information Known to the Inventor, IncludingReferences to Specific Documents Related to the Invention, and SpecificProblems Involved in the State of Technology that the Invention is DrawnToward

Conventional razor blades inherently clog. The function of cutting hairand moving the hair, skin, and saving cream from one side of the razorto the other creates clogging in the blades. This clogging results inhair being cut multiple times and additional force needed to cut similaramounts of hair. It doesn't matter how many blades are on the razor,clogging will happen. Once the razor is done being used any residualhair, skin, and cream will dry on the blades and will hold moisture onthe blades and accelerate dulling.

It is desired to design a razor having features that help preventclogging of space between cutting blades by residual cut facial hair,facial skin and cream.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventor has found that by arranging a pair of cuttingblades and a pair of rollers in an alternating manner with respect toeach other, the rollers move the cut facial hair, cut skin, and creamaway from the blades during the shaving process. An additional trailingcutting blade cuts residual facial hair that might have passed the pairof cutting blades uncut.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is madeto the following description and accompanying drawings, while the scopeof the invention is set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the bottom, front and right side of arazor cartridge in accordance with our invention

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the top, rear and right side of the razorcartridge of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the top, front and left side of the razorcartridge of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are partially broken isometric views of the top, frontand right side of the razor cartridge of FIGS. 1-3, but with the housingframe partially removed to reveal more of the components within therazor cartridge that is visible in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of the razor cartridge of FIGS.1-4 held by a handle in an upright, vertical orientation suited forcarrying out shaving to cut facial hair.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the top, front and right side of therazor cartridge and a partially broken view of the front and right sideof the handle.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the bottom, rear and right side of therazor cartridge and the handle.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the top and front and in cross-sectionthe right side of half of the razor cartridge and handle.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the bottom and rear and in cross-sectionthe right side of half of the razor cartridge and handle.

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of half of the razor cartridge that depictsthe top and front views and, in cross-section, the right side and thatdepicts schematic arrows that are indicative of paths followed by cutfacial hair.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of half of the razor cartridge that depictsthe bottom and rear views and, in cross-section, the right side view andthat depicts of schematic arrows that are indicative of paths followedby cut facial hair.

FIGS. 12-14 are progressive schematic views illustrating the movement ofthe razor along the face to cut facial hair and showing the cut piecesof the facial hair traveling through the razor cartridge.

FIG. 15 is a partially broken, isometric view of the top and rear viewand of the right side in cross section of the razor cartridge.

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the razor cartridge of FIGS. 1-15 priorto assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Turning to the drawings of FIGS. 1-4B and 16, a razor head or razorcartridge 10 has components that include two housing parts 12A, 12B, tworollers 1, 2, three cutting blades 3, 4, 5, one moisturizing strip piece6 and two staples 9. The two rollers are a leading roller 1 and atrailing roller 2. The cutting blades include a leading cutting blade 3,which is situated between the two rollers, a trailing cutting blade 4and final cutting blade 5. The trailing cutting blade 4 is situatedbetween the trailing roller 2 and the final cutting blade 5.

Turning to FIG. 4A, the three cutting blades 3, 4, 5 are each of thesame configuration and bent to give rise to an acute angulation betweenrespective base portions 3C, 4C, 5C and inclined portions 3B, 4B, 5B.The inclined portions 3B, 4B, 5B terminate at respective sharpened edges3D, 4D, 5D that extend lengthwise across the razor cartridge 10. Thebase portions 3C, 4C, 5C have surfaces that are parallel with each otherby extending within respective planes 40, 41, 42. As best seen in FIG.4B, the sharpened edges 3D, 4D, 5D are positioned so that respectiveplanes 43, 44, 45 that pass through them parallel to the planes 40, 41,42 pass respectively through roller 1, roller 2 and the inclined portion4B of the cutting blade 4.

The two rollers 1, 2 may be paddle rollers and each has the sameconfiguration, Their exterior surfaces are textured with lengthwiseridges separated from each other circumferentially in succession byassociated grooves. Their respective axes of rotation are parallel toeach other.

Turning to FIG. 5, with the handle 20 positioned in an upright, verticalorientation, the razor cartridge 10 in an operative cutting position tocut facial hair as the razor cartridge is moved along the face with thefacial hair, the relative position of the components with respect toeach other and the acute angulation of the bends in the cutting blades3, 4, 5 causes the inclined portion 3B to extend over the lead roller 1,the inclined portion 4B to extend over the trailing roller 2 and theinclined portion 5B to extend over the trailing cutting blade 4.

Turning to FIGS. 6-9, the components are held in position between twoends of a frame housing 12, which has two parts 12A, 12B, by bentstaples 9. A centrally located alignment guide 8 arches over the rollersto help retain the rollers to prevent them from leaving their relativeposition in the razor cartridge 10 during their respective rotations.

Turning to FIGS. 10 and 11, the rollers 1, 2 are positioned to rotateand their ridges and grooves move cut hair 32 in the direction of therotation so that the cut hair 32 travels along paths 40. As a result,there is no clogging of the razor cartridge 10 by cut hair 32 in thevicinity of the sharpened edges 3D, 4D where the cutting occurred andthe amount of cut hair by the sharpened edge 5D is relatively littlethat no clogging will occur at that vicinity.

Turning to FIGS. 12-14, the lead roller 1 in front of the lead cuttingblade 3 performs the function of moving the initial debris to the backof the razor and clearing a path for more material. (hair, skin, shavingcream). The debris may be cut hair 32, cut skin and shaving cream orlather.

The lead cutting blade 3 performs the function of doing the rough cut,that is, cutting the bulk of the hair as the lead cutter.

The trailing roller 2 is at the same height as the lead roller 1. It hasthe same ridges and grooves to grip and move hair, skin, and cream away.It is directly in front of the trailing cutting blade 4.

The trailing roller 2 performs the function of clearing the debris fromin front of the trailing cutting blade 4 and continuing the cutting andclearing process.

The trailing cutting blade 4 is continuing to cut the hair 31. Now thehair is cut to about skin level.

The final cutting blade 5 is the final cutter. The other two cuttingblades (lead blade 3 and trailing cutting blade 4) that perform theircutting functions before that of the final cutting blade 5 have done themajority of the work. The lead roller 1 and trailing roller 2 havecleared the debris away; the final cutting blade 5 performs thefinishing cut.

A moisturizing strip 6 that is secured to the frame housing 12Bconditions the skin more effectively since there is a cleaner surface.

Water is used to clean the rollers 1, 2. The rollers 1, 2 allow thewater discharged under a conventional sink faucet of a residence torotate them and move material away.

The cutting blades 3, 4, 5 are of conventional materials, preferablymetallic such as stainless steel with a sharpened edge at one end. Theopposite end of the blade is preferably blunt and thus not sharpened.However, making provision for the bend in the cutting blade to give riseto an oblique angulation of the cutting blade is not conventional.

Thus, the frame housing 12 supports an alternating arrangement of therollers 1, 2 and cutting blades 3, 4 5, namely, in sequence, the leadingroller 1, the leading cutting blade 3, the trailing roller 2, thetrailing cutting blade 4 and the final cutting blade 5.

Turning to FIGS. 15 and 16, the two rollers 1, 2 each has a centralportion whose exterior surface is textured with lengthwise ridgesseparated from each other circumferentially in succession by associatedgrooves and two end portions. The central portion is between the two endportions. Each end portion has a disc and a shaft. For the leadingroller 1, its end portion has a disc 1A and a shaft 1B. The shaft 1Bextends outward in opposite directions from a center of the disc 1A.

Likewise, the end portion of the trailing roller 2 has a disc 2A andshaft 2B. The shaft 2B extends outward in opposite directions from acenter of the disc 2B. The part 12A of the frame housing 12 has oppositeends each with a recessed configuration defined by a ledge 13 andrecessed surface 14. The part 12B of the frame housing 12 has endsshaped to complement the shape of the recessed surface 14 to fit inplace.

The moistening strip piece 6 has a T cross-section and its base isfitted between two elongated, parallel risers 15 of the part 12A of theframe housing 12.

The part 12A of the frame housing 12 also has guides 16, 18 toaccommodate retaining between them applicable ones of the discs 1B, 2Bby supporting the shafts 1A, 1B to allow the shafts 1A, 1B to freelyrotate. The staples 9 are each U-shaped and inserted into openings inthe part 12A with central their band portions retaining ends of thecutting blades 3, 4, 5 and rollers 1, 2 in place and then their legs arebent into the position shown in FIG. 2. Such can be seen in thecross-section at one end of FIG. 15.

The cutting blades 3, 4, 5 may be made entirely of steel, for instance,that of a conventional razor blade steel made from martensitic stainlesssteel with a composition of chromium between 12 and 14.5%, a carboncontent of approximately 0.6%, and the remainder iron and traceelements. Alternatively, only the inclined portions 3B, 4B, 5B of thecutting blades 3, 4, 5 may be made of such a steel either partially orentirely and the base portions 3C, 4C, 5C of the cutting blades 3, 4, 5may be made of a different material such as a hard plastic or differentmetal. In that sense, the conventional razor blade steel would be placedon that different material and secured to it. That different materialwould have the acute bend. FIG. 2 of US published patent application no.20110146079, which is incorporated herein by reference, depicts asharpened cutting blade supported on an acutely angled portion of a basecomponent.

Instead of being made from the conventional razor blade steel, thecutting blades 3, 4, 5 may be made of any stainless steel and carbonsteel or made of a Damascus steel with a carbon steel edge or made of acorrosion resistant carbide steel made using a tungsten-carbon compound.

While the foregoing description and drawings represent the preferredembodiments of the present invention, various changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1-3. (canceled)
 4. The anti-clogging razor cartridge of claim 14,wherein the respective bends and the respective base and inclinedportions each being made of a material that is of a same composition. 5.The anti-clogging razor cartridge of claim 14, wherein the housing hasan inclined surface that is closer to the leading roller than to thetrailing roller, further comprising: a moisturizing strip that is closerto the trailing roller than to the leading roller.
 6. The anti-cloggingrazor cartridge of claim 14, further comprising: a pivotal attachmentthat is secured to the housing and configured to pivotally attach to ahandle. 7-8. (canceled)
 9. The anti-clogging razor cartridge of claim14, wherein the leading roller and the trailing roller are each a paddleroller having an exterior surface with lengthwise ridges that arecircumferentially separated from each other by respective ones ofintervening lengthwise grooves.
 10. The anti-clogging razor cartridge ofclaim 14, further comprising: two staples each having two bent stapleportions and having a central portion extending between the two bentstaple portions and having two free ends each extending from respectiveones of the two staple bent portions toward each other, the staplesretaining the cutting blades and the rollers within confines of thehousing.
 11. The anti-clogging razor cartridge of claim 10, wherein thetwo staples are spaced apart from each other by a separation distance,the inclined surface extending lengthwise by a distance that is at mostequivalent to the separation distance.
 12. The anti-clogging razorcartridge of claim 6, wherein the pivotal attachment includes twoprojections spaced apart from each other and each having a respectiverecess facing opposite each other, a rod retained by both of therespective recesses in a manner that enable the rod to rotate relativeto the respective recesses, and a connector situated between the rod andthe handle and securing both to each other.
 13. The anti-clogging razorcartridge of claim 12, further comprising a support having two concaveportions aligned with respective ones of the leading roller and thetrailing roller, the support being between and equidistant from the twoprojections.
 14. An anti-clogging razor cartridge, comprising: analternating arrangement of rollers and cutting blades, the cuttingblades each having a respective bend that forms an acute angulationbetween respective base and inclined portions of the cutting blades, thebase portions of the cutting blades extending in respective parallelplanes that are parallel with each other, the inclined portion of eachof the cutting blades terminating at respective sharpened edges, thecutting blades including a leading cutting blade and a trailing cuttingblade, the rollers including a leading roller and a trailing roller, afinal cutting blade having an additional pair of portions that extendfrom an additional bend and are acutely angled with respect to eachother to extend within respective ones of two additional planes thatintersect with each other at the additional bend, the trailing cuttingblade being between the final cutting blade and the trailing roller, oneof the additional pair of portions terminating into an additionalsharpened edge within a respective one of the two additional planes; anda housing supporting the alternating arrangement of rollers and cuttingblades and supporting the final cutting blade, wherein the trailingcutting blade and the final cutting blade are spaced apart from each bya channel, the channel lacking any roller within.